Building Democratic Ownership in the U.S. South

CoopEcon 2018 was a success! We are looking forward to CoopEcon 2019!

Over 110 people from across the Southeast gathered at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives’ Rural Research & Training Center to develop cooperative businesses that will serve needs in their communities. Thanks to everyone who organized, sponsored and attended the event, making it our most successful program yet! We are looking forward to CoopEcon 2019 happening in Epes, Alabama

About CoopEcon

CoopEcon is an education and training institute geared toward helping current and future cooperators building and strengthening new community-based enterprises in their communities. Learn More!

Location

We are excited to be hosted by the Federation of Southern Cooperatives at their beautiful 800 acre Rural Training and Research Center in Epes, Alabama, which is used by Federation staff to research farming methods, membership training, conferences, and other meetings. Learn more!

Program

Many people know what’s wrong with the economy, and what’s not working in their communities, but they don’t know how to fix it or what alternative strategies exist. CoopEcon introduces cooperative and solidarity economy alternatives, showcases successful co-ops, and provides co-op training both at the introductory and intermediate levels. And we do this from the perspective of the South – of people of color, low-wealth communities, and women struggling to build sustainable and prosperous communities in the South. CoopEcon provides networking, sharing of knowledge, inspiration and fun!

Jessica Gordon Nembhard, author of “Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice”

CoopEcon is an intensive weekend-long networking and training opportunity for southerners who are ready to work to build cooperative economic enterprises to transform previously marginalized communities into new economies based on democratic ownership and democratic governance.

Ed Whitfield, Co-Managing Director of the Fund for Democratic Communities